Today, 9 Judges Hold A Plenary Meeting To Find A Replacement For Anwar Usman Who Was Fired From The Chief Justice Of The Constitutional Court

Constitutional Court Building (Diah Ayu/VOI)

JAKARTA - Today, Thursday 9 November, nine constitutional judges held a plenary meeting for the election of the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) to replace Anwar Usman who was dismissed by the Honorary Council of the Constitutional Court (MKMK) as of 7 November 2023.Plt Karo Public Relations and Protocols of the Constitutional Court (MK) Budi Wijayanto explained that plenary meetings for deliberation were held behind closed doors. This is stated in the Constitutional Court Regulation (PMK) Number 6 of 2023 concerning Procedures for the Election of Chairs and Deputy Chief Justices of the Court "In the future, the election of the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court and Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court will be chosen from and by constitutional judges for a term of office of 5 years." (Nine constitutional judges) were present in full (at the panel of judges). Starting from efforts for deliberation and consensus, and so on," Budi said in a short message, Thursday, November 9. The selection of the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court in deliberation and consensus in the plenary meeting of judges is closed to the public. Then, if the deliberation does not reach consensus, the decision is made based on the vote Most of them are through voting in a plenary meeting that is open to the public. "If you don't reach consensus, you will immediately open elections, in the plenary courtroom," said Budi. Budi said there is no deadline for meetings to determine the new Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court today, both plenary meetings deliberation, and voting if deliberation is not consensus. For information, the election of the new Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court follows up on the results of the Constitutional Court's decision which dismissed Anwar Usman. In the decision on violations The ethics of the constitutional judge read out on Tuesday, November 7, Chief Justice of the MKMK Jimly Asshidiqqie stated that Anwar Usman was proven to have committed a serious violation of the code of ethics and behavior of the constitutional judge. Jimly said that the uncle of the prospective vice presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka opened up space for outsiders to intervene in the formulation of the Constitutional Court's decision in case number 90/PUU-XXI/2023 which allowed regional heads not yet 40 years old to run as presidential and vice presidential candidates. "The reported judge (Anwar Usman) proven to have deliberately opened the space for outside intervention in the decision-making process number 90/PUU-XXI/2023, thus violating the Sapta Karsa Hutama, the Independence Principle, the application of numbers 1, 2, and 3," said Jimly. This is supported by Anwar Usman's attitude involved in the panel of judges' deliberation meeting (RPH) on the case 90/PUU-XXI/2023, after previously being absent in the RPH of similar material testing cases. "The reported judge (Anwar Usman) did not resign from handling the case 90/PUU-XXI/2023, even though "In fact, there is a conflict of interest, because the 90/PUU-XXI/2023 case is directly related to the interests of the reported judge's family, namely Gibran Rakabuming Raka," said Jimly.

As a result of Anwar's dismissal as Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, MKMK ordered the Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court to lead the new Constitutional Court leadership election within 2x24 hours. MKMK also prohibits Anwar Usman, who is now only a member of the Constitutional Court, from running again as Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court until his term as constitutional judge ends.